Mechanism for separating sheets of flexible material from a pack or stack thereof



Sept. 20, 1966 D. s. SILVER 3,273,885

MECHANISM FOR SEPARATING SHEETS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FROM A PACK OR STACK THEREOF Filed June 22, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 20, 1966 D. s. SILVER 3,273,885

MECHANISM FOR SEPARATING SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FROM A PACK 0R STACK THEREOF Filed June 22, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 20, 1966 D. s. SILVER 3,273,835

MECHANISM FOR SEPARATING SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FROM A PACK 0R STACK THEREOF Filed June 22, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet :5

Sept. 20, 1966 D. s. SILVER 3,273,885

MECHANISM FORSEPARATING SHEETS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FROM A PACK 0R STACK THEREOF Filed June 22, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 p 1966 D. s. SILVER 3,273,885

MECHANISM FOR SEPARATING SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FROM A PACK OR STACK THEREOF Filed June 22, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 PIC-3.5.

Sept. 20, 1966 D. s. SILVER MECHANISM FOR SEPARATING SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FROM A PACK OR STACK THEREOF 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 22, 1964 FIGB. FIG.7.

Sept. 20, 1966 D s SILVER 3,273,885

MECHANISM FOR SEEARATING SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FROM A PACK 0R STACK THEREOF Filed June 22, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 FISH. FIG.12.

United States Patent 3,273,385 MECHANISM FUR EPARATING SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATEL FRQM A RACK 0R STACK THEREUF Dennis Stanley Silver, London, England, assignor to Piirdy Machinery Company Limited, London, England Filed June 22, 1964, Ser. No. 376,961 11 (Ilaims. (ill. 2731-27) This invention relates to mechanism for separating sheets of flexible material, such as paper, from a pack or stack thereof, so as to deliver the sheets in series to a position in which they are to he used. In particular, the invention is concerned with machines for taking labels from a pack thereof and applying them to a series of objects, such as bottles.

A main aim of the invention is to provide mechanism for feeding labels from a pack at a higher speed than has hitherto been practicable so as to enable so as to enable a labelling machine to operate a a high rate. A further aim is to provide mechanism that is well adapted to the rapid application of more than one label to each object; for example, body and neck labels to a bottle.

According to the present invenion, the mechanism for separating sheets of flexible material in series from a stack or pack thereof includes a stationary magazine for bold ing the stack or pack, a surface, arranged to circulate uniformly, for receiving the sheets in series and transporting them to a position in which they are to be made use of, a picking head, mounted to be moved to and fro between the magazine and the surface, for picking each sheet from the magazine and delivering it to the surface, means for retaining a sheet on the picking head for a predetermined portion of each to-and-fro movement thereof, and driving means for imparting the to-and-fro movement to the picking head. In a bottle labelling machine, the said circulating surface conveniently is located on the curved surface of a drum mounted to rotate about its axis. The use of a stationary magazine and a simple oscillating or reciprocating picking head involves very small inertia loads. Moreover, the stationary magazine is easy to replenish with new packs of labels, without arresting the operation of the machine.

Preferably the picking head is driven to-and-fro by a crank or eccentric mechanism and this has the advantage that the dead-centre positions of this mechanism can be arranged to occur when the pocking head is actually picking a label from the magazine and when it is being surrendered to the drum. Thus, these two events occur at, or in the vicinity of, the instants at which the velocity of the picking head is zero.

When more than one stationary magazine is provided to enable more than one label to he delivered to the drum for application in vertical alignment to a single object, such as a bottle, it is very advantageous to provide means for adjusting the phase relationship of the picking heads allocated respectively to the magazines, so as to provide for varying relative widths of labels intended to have their centres in vertical alignment.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, mechanism in accordance therewith will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan showing the layout of a bottle labelling machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation of mechanism in the machine of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan of the mechanism of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a plan, on an enlarged scale, of certain of the mechanism appearing in FIGURE 3;

3,273,885 Patented Sept. 20, 11966 FIGURES 5 and 6 are elevations as viewed in the direction of the arrows V and VI in FIGURE 4;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are plans of details,

FIGURE 9 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of mechanism appearing in FIGURES 2 and 3; and

FIGURES .10, 11 and 12 are respectively a plan and side and front elevations of a further detail.

Referring to FIGURE '1, stationary magazines 1, 2 are respectively arranged to contain body labels and neck labels to be applied to bottles. Thus, the magazine '1 is at a lower level than the magazine 2. 'Each magazine is constructed in accordance with U.S. patent application No. 376,963, filed June 22, 1964 by the same inventor as the present application and consists essentially of a long trough or frame in which a pack of labels can be inserted, the back of the pack being loaded by a thrust member carried by a carriage that is urged along the magazine by a spring force mechanism so as normally to maintain the front label in the pack in engagement with small stops, each projecting a short distance over the edge of the label. Each body label, on reaching the front of the magazine 11, is withdrawn therefrom by a picking head '3 and each neck label, on reaching the front of the magazine 2, is withdrawn therefrom by a picking head 4.

The picking head 3 travels from a position in which its face 5 is flush with the position A at the front of the magazine 1 and carries the label to a position \B, in which one edge of the label is presented between a pinch roll 6 and a continuously rotating drum '7. The label is therefore drawn away from the bevelled face *5 of the picking head 3 as it is fed, as a result of the rotation of the drum 7, past the pinch roll 6, which is freely rotatable. Thus, the label is wrapped on the curved surface of the drum against three resilient pads as described in US. patent application No. 383,642, filed July 20, 1964 by the same inventor as .the present application, the label being secured to the pads by suction applied from within the drum.

The neck label, corresponding to the body label applied to the aforesaid pads, is secured by suction to a pad which is located on the drum 7 centrally above the three aforesaid pads, and the neck label is rolled onto this pad between the drum 7 and a pinch roll 8. The picking head 4 carries this label from the position C at the front of the magazine 2, to a position D in which one edge of the label is taken between the drum 7 and the pinch roll s. There are five label positions on the drum 7 ie five sets of four pads, and the drum '7 rotates uniformly during the operation of the machine, carrying the labels through a position in which the exposed faces of the labels have adhesive applied thereto by mechanism which forms the subject of U8. patent application No. 385,417, filed July 27, 1964 by the same inventor as the present applica tion, and through a position in which the labels are transferred to the bottles by mechanism which forms the subject of the aforesaid US. patent application No. 383,642.

The labels are secured to the picking heads 3, 4 by suction and when the labels are surrendered to the drum, the suction is cut off and the labels are blown clear of the picking heads under the control of apparatus described below. In principle, the picking heads 3, 4 are the same and the picking head 3 for the body labels is shown in FIGURES 10 to 12. The head =3 is at the top of a tubular stem 9 and the flat bevelled face -5 consists of a perforated sheet of metal. The stem 9 fits inside a vertical tubular member llll (FIGURES 2, *3, 4 and 6) to which it is secured by a clamp 12.

The picking head 4 is similar to that shown in FIG- UR-ES 10 to 12 but is arranged to carry the neck labels at a higher level than the body labels. It has a stern which fits inside a vertical tubular member 13 (FIGURES 2, 3, 4, 5 to which it is secured by a clamp 14.

Therefore, the movement of the picking heads 3, 4 depends on the movement of the tubular members Ill, 13 and the mechanism for this will now be described. These members 11, 13 project upwards through apertures Illa, 13a in a top plate T beneath which the mechanism is located. The tubular member Ill is fixed to a bracket 15 fixed to a rod 16 mounted to reciprocate in a re-circulating ball bushing 17 arranged to oscillate about the vertical axis of a fixed spindle 18, a needle roller bearing being interposed between the bushing 17 and the spindle 18. The bracket 1'5 has lugs 19 mounted to oscillate about a vertical axis on ball bearings containing pins 20 carried by lugs 21 on a vertical spindle 22. The spindle 2 2 is carried by fixed arms 23, 24 in relation to which it is mounted by needle roller bearings and a ball thrust hearing. A crank arm 25 is rigid with the spindle 22 and carries a crank pin 26 which has a ball bearing connection with a connecting rod 27, the opposite end of which has a ball bearing connection with an eccentric device comprising a crank pin 28 mounted between two disc assemblies 29, 30 (FIGURE 6). The lower disc assembly 29 is [fixed to a vertical driving shaft 31 (FIGURE 2). Thus rotation of this shaft 311 causes the spindle 22 to oscillate about its fixed axis to cause the unit consisting of the bracket 15, rod 16 and tubular member 11 to carry the picking head 3 to-and-fro between the positions shown in FIGURE 1.

The mechanism for actuating the tubular member 13 and picking head 4 is similar to that just described. It is driven by a short shaft 32, co-axial wit-h the shaft 31 and fixed on the disc assembly '30. The shaft 32 carries a second eccentric device comprising a third disc assembly 63 (FIGURE 5) and a crank pin 34. The crank pin 34 is connected by a connecting rod 35 to a crank pin 36 on a crank arm '37 rigid with a spindle 38 carried by fixed arms 39, 40. Lugs 41 on the spindle 38 are connected by pins 42 to lugs 43 on a bracket 44 carrying the tubular member 13. A rod 45 is fixed to the bracket 44 and reciprocates in a recirculating ball bushing 46 mounted to swivel on a fixed spindle 47. Thus, rotation of the shaft 32 causes the spindle G8 to oscillate about its axis, causing the unit consisting of the bracket 44, rod 45 and tubular member 1 3 to carry the picking head 4 toand-fro between the positions shown in FIGURE 1.

In each revolution of the disc assemblies 29, 30, 33, each of the crank pins 28, 34 passes through two deadcentre positions. Thus, for the crank pin 28, the two positions are those in which its axis lies in the same vertical, flat plane as the axis of the shafts 31, 32 and the crank pin 26. In each of these positions, therefore, the velocity of the tubular member ill and picking head 3 is zero, and the mechanism is designed so that, at these two instants, the picking head 3 is respectively engaging the label at the position A (FIGURE 1) and presenting it to the drum 7 at the position B. Similarly the crank pin 34 passes through its two dead-centre positions when its axis lies in the same vertical, flat plane as the axis of the shafts 31, 32 and the crank pin 36. In these two positions, the picking head 4 is respectively engaging the label at the position C (FIGURE 1) and presenting it to the drum 7 at the position D.

It will be appreciated that the neck label must be symmetrically located centrally with respect to the body label. Therefore, means are provided for adjusting the phase relationship of the movement of the picker 3 with respect to the movement of the picker 4. For this purpose the position of the crank pin 28 is made adjustable about the shaft 31 and the position of the crank pin 34 is made adjustable about the shaft 32. Thus, the disc assembly 29 (FIGURE 6) includes a disc 48 fixed to the shaft Sll and formed with a peripheral groove 49 basically of semicircular cross-section and containing helicoidal teeth (not shown) engaged by the thread of a screw 50 (see also FIGURE 4). A ring 51, to which the crank pin 28 is attached, fits around the disc 48. The ring Sll is formed with an unthreaded bore through which the screw 50 passes. Where this bore passes tangentially close to the disc 48, the bore opens into the inner periphery of the ring 51, as shown at 52 in FIGURE 6, so as to enable the screw 56 to engage the teeth in the circular groove 49. Therefore, by turning the screw 50 the ring 51 and the crank pin 28 are adjusted about the shaft 31.

AS shown in FIGURE 5, the disc assembly 33 contains a similar arrangement including a disc 53 fixed to the shaft 32 and formed with a peripheral groove 54 containing helicoidal teeth, a ring 55 fitting round the disc 53 and carrying the crank pin 34, and an adjusting screw 56.

The means by which suction and air pressure are applied to the picking heads 3, 4 will now be described.

Referring to FIGURE 6, it will be seen that the tubular member 11 extends below the bracket 15 and receives the end of a flexible tube 57 at its lower end, the tube 57 being secured by a clamp 58. Similarly the tubular member 13 (FIGURE 5) projects below the bracket 44 and receives the end of a flexible tube 59, the tube 59 being secured by a clamp 60. The flexible tubes 57, 59 are connected respectively to nozzles 61, 62 on two valve units 63, 64 (FIGURES 2 and 3). The valve unit 63 has a suction outlet 65 and a pressure inlet 66 and these are connected respectively to an air inlet nozzle 67 and an air outlet nozzle 68 of a rotary pump 69. Thus, either suction or pressure can be applied to the picking head 3, according to the setting of the valve unit 63. Similarly, either suction or pressure can be applied to the picking head 4, according to the setting of the valve unit 64, which has a suction outlet 76 and a pressure inlet 71 connected respectively to an air inlet nozzle '72 and an air outlet nozzle 73 of a rotary pump 74. The rotary pumps 69 and 74 are continuously driven during the operation of the machine by individual electric motors.

The reason that it is necessary to change over from suction to air pressure is that first there must be a seventy-five percent vacuum applied to the label to hold it securely on the picking head, and then this partial vacuum must be released instantaneously when the label reaches the pinch roll and drum. The vacuum can only be broken instantaneously by the positive application of pressure.

The valve unit 63 contains a valve spindle 76 which is moved in one direction by a rocker 77 against the action of a return spring 78. The rocker 77 is pivoted at 79 and carries a cam follower roller 80 that runs on the edge of a cam plate 81 (FIGURES 5, 6, 8) forming part of the disc assembly 30, which also embodies a disc 82 to which the crank pin 28 is fixed. The cam plate 81 is fixed to the disc 82 by bolts 83 passing through arcuate slots 84, which provide for angular adjustment of the cam plate 81 with respect to the crank pin 28.

Similarly, the valve unit 64 for the picking head 4 is controlled by a cam plate 86 (FIGURES 6, 7) forming part of the disc assembly 33. The cam plate 85 has a circular aperture through which the disc 53 passes. The plate 85 is secured to the ring 55 by bolts 86 passing through arcuate slots 87, enabling the angular position of the cam plate 85 with respect to the crank pin 34 to be adjusted. The cam plate 85 actuates a cam follower roller 88 on a rocker 69 pivoted at 9th and acting on a valve spindle 91 having a return spring 92.

As the valve units 63, 64 are the same, only the unit 63 will now be described with reference to FIGURE 9, from which it will be seen that the spindle 76 passes through a recirculating ball bushing 93, and then through chambers 94, 95 to a ball valve member 96 loaded by a spring 97. The chamber 94 is formed in a sleeve 98 and is in communication through a port 99 and a peripheral groove 109 with the suction outlet 65. The spindle 76 is formed with an annular valve member 101 which, when allowed by the cam plate 81 to move away from the position shown, is separated from a reciprocable seating member 102 loaded by a spring 103. Therefore, the suction is applied through the chamber 95 which is in communication with the nozzle 61, the flexible tube 57 and the picking head 3 for the body labels.

The reciprocable seating member 102 is a sliding fit in the chamber 95, leakage round the edge of the member 102 being prevented by an Oring. When it is desired to change over the vacuum to the air pressure supply to the picking head 3, the spindle 76 is moved to the position shown to bring the valve member 101 into contact with the seating member 102, while the latter yields slightly against the action of the spring 103 to ensure tight contact. Thus, communication between the chambers 94, 95 is cut off. However, the valve member 96 is lifted against the action of the spring 97, away from a seating 104, allowing air under pressure to pass from the pressure inlet 66 to the chamber 95 and thence to the picking head 3.

Clearly, when no bottles are being fed into the machine, while, it is running, the labels should be allowed to remain in the magazines 1, 2. Therefore, electro-magnetic devices in the form of solenoids 105, 106 are associated with the valve units 63, 64. These solenoids have reciprocable cores connected respectively by links 107, 108 to the rockers 77, 89 by pin and slot connections enabling the valve units to operate independently of the solenoids in the normal operation of the machine. The solenoids are electrically connected to a sensing device at a predetermined point in the path of bottles being fed into the machine. In the absence of a bottle at this point, which is located so that a bottle is passing it when the picking heads 3, 4 are taking labels from the magazines 1, 2 for the bottle, the rockers 77, 89 are moved so as to cause air to blow through the heads 3, 4 at the labels in the magazines, so that the labels are left in the magazines 1, 2.

I claim:

1. A labelling machine including a stationary magazine for holding a pack of labels, a surface arranged to circulate uniformly for receiving labels uniformly and transferring them to a position at which they are to be applied to objects, a picking head mounted to oscillate to-and-fro along a predetermined path between a first limit position of travel adjacent the magazine at which the picking head picks a label from the pack, and a second limit position of travel adjacent the surface at which the picking head delivers the label to the surface, retaining means for causing each label to adhere to said picking head at said magazine and for releasing the label for attachment to said surface, and a driving means for imparting oscillating movement to said picking head between said first and second limit positions, said driving means com prising, an eccentric device mounted to rotate uniformly about a fixed axis, a linkage means for connecting said eccentric device to said picking head to convert the rotary movement of said eccentric device into oscillating movement of said picking head, said eccentric device defining two dead center positions during each revolution at which the said linkage means and the picking head momentarily stop while reversing their direction of travel, the movement of said picking head being directly, positively responsive, through the said linkage means to the movement of the said eccentric device and the said first and second limit positions of the picking head occurring when the eccentric device is at the dead center positions.

2. A labelling machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said linkage means includes a first member rigidly connected to said picking head for oscillatory movement therewith, a second member connected to said first member and a connecting rod connecting the eccentric device to said second member, said second member reversing its :direction of travel each time the eccentric device arrives at a dead center position, said reversals of movement occurring respectively when said picking head is picking a label fnom said magazine and when the label is being surrendered tosaid circulating surface.

3. A labelling machine according to claim 1, said picking head having a perforated surface, means for applying suction through the perforations for causing the labels to adhere to the picking head, further means for applying air pressure through the perforated surface for quickly releasing the label from the said head, and valve means arranged selectively to apply the suction and air pressure to the perforated surface.

4. A labelling machine according to claim 3, wherein said suction and pressure means includes an air pump having inlet and outlet passages connected to said valve means, and a single connection provided between said valve means and said picking head.

5. Mechanism according to claim 3, in which the valve means include a member arranged to be moved to-and-fro by mechanical means to bring about the change from air pressure to suction, and from suction to air pressure, at the picking head, an electro-magnetic device being provided for holding the member in the position in which air pressure is applied to the picking head to retain the member in that position independently of the operation of the mechanical means.

6. Mechanism according to claim 5, in which the said member is moved in one direction by a cam and in the opposite direction by a return spring, the electromagnetic device being arranged to hold the member away from the cam against the action of the return spring.

7. Mechanism according to claim 1, in which the said surface is located on the curved surface of a drum mounted to rotate about its axis.

8. A bottle labelling machine for applying a plunality of labels to each bottle, said machine including two mechanisms, each of the mechanisms including, a stationary magazine for holding a pack of ilabels, a surface arranged to circulate uniform-1y for receiving labels uniformly and transferring them to a position at which they are to be applied to objects, a picking head mounted to oscillate to-land-fro along a predetermined path between a first limit position of travel adjacent the magazine at which the picking head picks a label from the pack, and a second limit position of travel adjacent the surface at which the picking head delivers the label to the surface, retaining means for causing each label to adhere to said picking head at said magazine and for releasing the label for attachment to said surface, and a driving means for imparting oscillating movement to said picking head between said first and second limit positions, said driving means comprising, an eccentric device mounted to rotate uniformly about a fixed axis, a linkage means for connecting said eccentric device to said picking head to convert the rotary movement of said eccentric device into oscillating movement of said picking head, said eccentric device defining two dead center positions during each revolution at which the said linkage means and the picking head momentarily stop while reversing their direction of travel, the movement of said picking head being directly, positively responsive, through the said linkage means, to the movement of the said eccentric device, and the said first and second limit positions of the picking head occurring when the eccentric device is at the dead center positions.

9. A bottle labelling machine according to claim 8, said piclcing head of each mechanism having a perforated surface, and means for applying suction through the perorations for causing the labels to adhere to the said picking head, and further means for applying air pressure through the perforated surface for quickly releasing the air from said head, and valve means arranged selectively to apply the suction and pressure to the said picking head.

10. A machine according to claim 9 in which the valve means in the two mechanisms are respectively operated by rotary cams, and in which the angular relationship between the cam in one mechanism with respect to the cam in the other mechanism is adjustable.

11. A machine according to claim 8 in which the variation in the phase relationship is effected by altering the angular relationship between the eccentric device in one mechanism with respect to the eccentric device in the other mechanism.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 Evans 271-12 X Simpson 271-27 Burleigh 271-26 Sherman 271-32 X M. HENSON WOOD, In, Primary Examiner.

R. A. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LABELLING MACHINE INCLUDING A STATIONARY MAGAZINE FOR HOLDING A PACK FOR LABEL, A SURFACE ARRANGED TO CIRCULATE UNIFORMLY FOR RECEIVING LABELS UNIFORMLY AND TRANSFERRING THEM TO A POSITION AT WHICH THEY ARE TO BE APPLIED TO OBJECTS, A PICKING HEAD MOUNTED TO OSCILLATE TO-AND-FRO ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH BETWEEN A FIRST LIMIT POSITION OF TRAVEL ADJACENT THE MAGAZINE AT WHICH THE PICKING HEAD PICKS A LABEL FROM THE PACK, AND A SECOND LIMIT POSITION OF TRAVEL ADJACENT THE SURFACE AT WHICH THE PICKING HEAD DELIVERS THE LABEL TO THE SURFACE, RETAINING MEANS FOR CAUSING EACH LABEL TO ADHERE TO SAID PICKING HEAD AT SAID MAGAZINE AND FOR RELEASING THE LABEL FOR ATTACHMENT TO SAID SURFACE, AND A DRIVING MEANS FOR IMPARTING OSCILLATING MOVEMENT TO SAID PICKING HEAD BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND LIMIT POSITIONS, SAID DRIVING MEANS COMPRISING, AN ECCENTRIC DEVICE MOUNTED TO ROTATE UNIFORMLY ABOUT A FIXED AXIS, A LINKAGE MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID ECCENTRIC DEVICE TO SAID PICKING HEAD TO CONVERT THE ROTARY MOVEMENT OF SAID ECCENTRIC DEVICE INTO OSCILLATING MOVEMENT OF SAID PICKING HEAD, SAID ECCENTRIC DEVICE DEFINING TWO DEAD CENTER POSITIONS DURING EACH REVOLUTION AT WHICH THE SAID LINKAGE MEANS AND THE PICKING HEAD MOMENTARILY STOP WHILE REVERSING THEIR DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, THE MOVEMENT OF SAID PICKING HEAD BEING DIRECTLY, POSITIVELY RESPONSIVE, THROUGH THE SAID LINKAGE MEANS TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE SAID ECCENTRIC DEVICE AND THE SAID FIRST AND SECOND LIMIT POSITIONS OF THE PICKING HEAD OCCURRING WHEN THE ECCENTRIC DEVICE IS AT THE DEAD CENTER POSITIONS. 